Name one. Until Jimbo left FSU for TAMU I can't think of a coach leaving a blue blood for another blue blood in my lifetime (42).

With Saban and Urban winning so much there aren't that many proven head coaches. How many guys are at non-blue bloods and can be considered proven? Dino, Chip Kelly, Peterson, Patterson, Dabo and none of them seem likely to leave.

It doesn't happen often but it does happen depending on your definition of 'blueblood.' What is more likely since 1) they've already done it with great success and 2) it happens all the time (Harbaugh, Saban, Petrino, Bill O'Brien, Chip Kelly) is they will look to an NFL coach w/ college/USC ties.

But USC is notoriously cheap. It's not just the HC, but are they will to pay their coordinators upwards of $1M? Plus, the USC AD's, first with Pat Haden and now Lynn Swann, want to be too involved with the program. Chris Peterson was rumored to have turned the job down because of interference from the administration.

Schiano is a real wild card, IMO. Even with n validity, the nonsense around his Tennessee situation from last year was a game changer, and he’s not necessarily proving himself since Fickell left. I’m thinking he’ll either be a DC or go to a mid major. The only successful stint he’s had as a HC was in the Big East after all the teams with a pulse bolted for the ACC.

I don’t know if I necessarily agree. We’ve had some pretty stout defenses since we’ve had him. Main problem is we never seem to game plan correctly and have to make 2nd half adjustments. As of late, I do t think the scheme matches our players strengths and a coach needs to identify that, so I definitely see what you mean.

Those who say they can and those who say they can't are both right. Which one are you?

A lot of people don’t agree. There was a lot of discussion on this in the offseason, when several said it would’ve been just fine to see him go to Tennessee or elsewhere, and a lot said he was great. I still am of the belief that Ash was the best hire Urban has made to date, and he transformed the D from loose and vulnerable to tight and disciplined. Ash’s defenses gave us the most effective press coverage, but they were so good with the rugby style tackling that there were virtually no yards after contact. And it seemed to happen almost overnight. Since he left, we’ve regressed. A lot of people will point to 2016, when we had Hooker, Conley, Lattimore, but I think their talent masked the initial backsliding. Schiano’s tenure has been an era of increasing levels of inconsistency in technique, discipline and performance. It would be reasonable to expect a year here and there where we see a step back, but not two seasons and counting. I’d love to be wrong, but odds are not good.

I hope if Schiano leaves, that Ash comes back. I imagine OSU would take him, but I wonder if he could get over coming back. I think 3 years at Rutgers would change a man, though, and not in many good ways lol.

I still don't know how Helton got that job in the first place, but the fact that they're starting a freshman QB all year will probably get him a mulligan. My guess is that a lot will depend on how they play vs ND. That's a big deal for both schools. If they get waxed by ND he may be done.

I love coach Meyer, but is he really a home run right now? Also, do you honestly believe Saban and Meyer are the only home runs? As much as I despise Franklin he did turn around PSU and just has a knack for motivating players, Swinney has been a hell of a coach with lesser talent, Kirby Smart is making things happen at UGA. I think there are at least a half dozen home runs out there.

Those who say they can and those who say they can't are both right. Which one are you?

If Franklin can win out this year, I might agree with you. He makes some questionable in game calls that have led to key losses for PSU in the past few seasons. He still hasn't proven he can beat the big boys in CFB. And, no, Harbaugh doesn't count.

"You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, & in the manner in which you live.
So, live. Live. Fight like hell. And when you get too tired to fight then lay down and rest and let somebody else fight for you. "
- Stuart Scott

Franklin is a great recruiter and is a solid program builder, but I don't think he is a good coach. Overall, he is not an elite coach. He was on a hot seat going into the OSU game in 2016, which is a fluke game that had a bunch of weird things happen to get them the win. If OSU wins that game, I think Penn State is on an entirely different trajectory and he may not even be there. That win gave their program life and something to believe in. With that said, Penn State still won that game, but they really didn't beat us in any facet of that game other than the final score, which predominately occurred through random, fluke plays. OSU had a 75%+ chance of winning that game, even as high as 97% in the third quarter, for almost the entire game. If Urban took a timeout and didn't rush Durbin out there in a hasty attempt to beat the clock, their win may have never happened.

I don't see how his program is actually developing players. Look at McSorley. I think he has regressed this year and I don't think Franklin develops talent. They also rely on a white-out game once year that makes the place tough to play. Franklin also had an elite OC in Moorhead for the 2016 and 2017 seasons that brought them to another level. Franklin gets outcoached, squanders late leads, and makes dumb decisions.

USC is a top 5-10 job that should be able to land a coach of similar caliber and I don't believe Franklin is among those coaches.

They also were paying Chad Morris $1.3MM to be the OC. Dabo is an energetic guy, good recruiter, liar, and has all the financial backing he’ll ever need at Clemson, which is about the size and scope of Miami University in Oxford. Clemson might be the school that broke down the barriers on assistant pay outside of the SEC, and we’ve certainly taken note.

I see this a lot, but if he can keep in the national championship picture at Clemson, would he really go to Bama? The problem, as I see it, is it is very difficult to fill the shoes of the most successful (in terms of nat'l championships) college football coach of the past decade. Those are some good shoes to fill--one 2-loss season and you're on the hot seat.

I think he only way Dabo leaves Clemson for Bama is if the Clemson program is in really solid shape and the Bama program needs to be resurrected. I don’t see him as Saban’s replacement, and I don’t see that it’s his dream job. He’s got his dream job.

I agree Urban likely won't leave I wouldn't put OSU much farther ahead of USC. USC isn't that great right now an still dominate California in recruiting. If they can turn into a title contender they should pull in top 3 classes easy. OSU is in a good football state and has to compete with Michigan and PSU right on our doorstep. The Pac-12 is a complete joke right now somebody should take advantage before it reverts back to normal. I don't think it will be Urban but I do think another big name coach that nobody thinks will leave their current job(James Franklin) will go live in LA and dominate a weaker conference.

"You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, & in the manner in which you live.
So, live. Live. Fight like hell. And when you get too tired to fight then lay down and rest and let somebody else fight for you. "
- Stuart Scott

I have to think Tee Martin at least gets an interview. D-coordinator Clancy Pendergrast has a ton of experience. They always seem to go for West Coast guys. Brohm is from Lousiville; does he have a pull to Left Coast? Kyle Wittingham?

They are king of CA recruiting and play in a soft conference. I don't know how much USC pays coaches etc, but the facilities just got an upgrade. They are set up for big time success with the right coach.

Leach thrives in a situation where's he's the underdog and he's at a school that lets him run his program his way and some of his idiosyncrasies fly under the radar. I'm not not things would work out well for him at a USC and I think they will want someone who is viewed as less of a wild card.

Clay Helton is exactly what happens when the adults responsible for hiring a head football coach for one of the ten greatest programs in college football history allow teenagers, i.e., the players and recruits, to influence their hiring decision. The players like him? Who cares. Go get someone befitting that program, and if the players don't like it show em the door. Clay Helton was a massive misfire.

People here are crazy equating USC with PSU. USC is a top 5 job. PSU is more in the 7-10 range. USC gets the cream of the crop of the west coast recruits and also recruits nationally. PSU has to fight with OSU for East coast recruits. That combined with a section of the PSU fanbase not exactly enamored with Franklin's skin tone, I'd think he would give them a serious listen if they came calling. Do think USC will make a run at Urban for a splash hire. Urban can't be happy how Drake didn't have his back.

Cpt - It doesn't matter what you or I would rate PSU as. I would personally take Penn State over Florida State, and Oregon any day of the week. That's just me. James Franklin would take PSU over almost any of those schools if not all of them.

Right, It doesn't matter. Allegiance, personal connections, and best fits aside, I think FSU is a better job. Locations, recruiting, facilities, and conference affiliation makes FSU a better job than Penn State. Clemson is king in the ACC but FSU should he challenging them each year. Fisher quit on them because he wanted to go to A&M and get that contract. It's easier to win at FSU than PSU.

Franklin is a PA guy and that's why he probably isn't going anywhere. It's home for him.

No offense, but I think you are letting your bias against PSU cloud your judgment. PSU has more football heritage (now we know a blemished one, but a heritage nonetheless) than several of the schools you mentioned. Saying Oregon was a better job is where you lost me. PSU is a top 10 job in cf, no matter what our biases are. Go there for a football weekend and you'll see what I mean.

I have been out there and it is quite impressive. I'll give them that. But I'm going to respectfully disagree that they are really a top 10 job in college football. I said Oregon might be top 15 and I think Oregon and PSU are similar in their job ranking/desirability. A program's desirability is more than just program history and heritage. It's location, facilities, recent history/success, overall history, conference status, administrative stability, financial resources, and a large budget. I don't see how Penn State is ranked higher than Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, USC, LSU, Georgia, Clemson, Florida, Michigan, ND, or Oklahoma when you consider these factors.

I think Oregon could be a better job because they have excellent facilities, Nike's money, and the Pac-12 is easier to win than the B1G. Helfrich wasn't ready to handle Oregon. When Chip Kelly left for the NFL, Oregon was definitely a top 15 job, maybe 10. The things that make a job appealing to coaches are really still there. Sure, Helfrich left them broken in some ways but Oregon has a very high ceiling as a program and I think it's higher than Penn State's. I think the last 10 years reflects that, PSU scandal aside.

We'll shake hands and disagree over a beer. Plus I would never say PSU is "higher" in prestige or any other factor than OSU, Bama and the others. But it is among them IMHO. The comparison to Oregon is a thought-provoker, I'll grant you that. I think what holds Penn State back as a desirable place to coach, as Bill O'Brien found out.....is Paterno's shadow and legacy, for better or for worse. Otherwise, it remains one of the top coaching destinations, and to a large degree, its funding, resources, etc. are right up there with most leaders in this field.

A lot of these jobs are somewhat interchangeable when you get into the top 15 and it really then depends on how good the coach is. LSU was a mediocre program for quite awhile before Saban came around. So was Bama. PSU is well located to recruit the Northeast and pick off some nice targets elsewhere. I'd argue they have a better built-in recruiting base than Michigan. They also have the advantage of being the dominant program on campus with no competition for that spot. To me the main difference for a coach at that point is where he wants to be located and what he is going to be paid.

After comments here that Schiano: 1) has seen his stock drop and 2) is at his best recruiting the Northeaat and East Coast, do we think Schiano to Maryland is the move this off season, or does he carry too much baggage?

DAY might be good in the passing no defense conference ,just not sold on him being good fit for Big Ten that is my take! Must run the ball have a scheme that can do it not the flag football scheme we are trying to play at the moment!!!!!!

I wouldn’t put it past the realm of possibility for SC to make an offer at Urban, and he might listen. That said, I see it far more likely that he retires after this year than leaving for SoCal. I’m going to parrot Joel Klatt and say that SC makes a run at a guy already familiar with the sidelines of the Coliseum: Sean McVay. I don’t believe that he makes that much by NFL standards, and would be a great fit in the college game.

I think you're right in saying that McVay isn't particularly well paid, relative speaking, but why would he want to go backwards, RB? He is THE young climber in all of football, and if anyone attempts to lure him away, the Rams will pay what they have to in order to keep him. In the NFL there is no recruiting. It's all football, all the time... and that is a massive plus, imo. If I were a college head coach whose skills and personality were suited for the pros, I'd get there as fast as I possibly could, if only so I never had to kiss 17-year-old ass and deal with parents ever again.

No doubt-McVay is tearing it up in the NFL and he's young enough not get misty eyed about college for the hell of it. Besides, winning a Super Bowl in LA will make the coach king of the town way more than winning an NC at USC or UCLA.

They need somebody with pro experience. Herm Edwards should be at the top of their list after kicking the Trojans’ asses last night.

"You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, & in the manner in which you live.
So, live. Live. Fight like hell. And when you get too tired to fight then lay down and rest and let somebody else fight for you. "
- Stuart Scott

If I’m a USC booster or avid fan, I’m expecting them to back the Brinks truck up for Lincoln Riley. You need a guy who will put points up on the scoreboard and get that showtime vibe that other teams in LA have. Anything short of a big name coach would be a disappointment.

For the record, I can’t see any way Riley would take the SC job unless they offered him a massive salary. He’s got it pretty good in Norman and I can’t see him leaving anytime soon. I would really like to see him coach my Cleveland Browns, but that’s another topic for another day.

USC isn’t hiring some rube from the south or southwest. my money is on Kiffin returning. USC a tough job to hire for because cost of living issues make any salary — especially for assistants —count for a lot less.

He somehow seems to keep falling into jobs he’s vastly unqualified for —- Oregon, FSU. The guy is literally a below .500 coach lifetime (51-54). Somehow, Florida State thought it would be a good hire. Haha

This is a fun debate, but some of these names are nuts haha....no way Urban leaves, no way Lincoln Riley leaves, no way NO WAY McVay leaves....

I think it's Tee Martin's job if he wants it. BUT realistically, the guy I'd be calling is Tosh Lupoi who is Bama's DC right now but if I'm thinking right, is a west coast guy (think he was a coach at Cal and UW?) Doubt they are pulling any current big 10 coach as that doesn't make much sense. So after talking out my thoughts I think the list would be Tee Martin, Chris Peterson, Tosh Lupoi, and Mike Locksley.

• has played close/beaten Clemson and Florida State in the 3 years he’s been HC

• used to recruiting to a private university

• runs a high-scoring air attack / West Coast offense

• has phenomenal QB development (Jimmy Garoppolo, Eric Dungey)

• born in Hawaii, raised in southern California, played ball in Hawaii

• 34 years of coaching experience

- 14 years on the west coast

- 11 years in the PAC-12 (ASU, Arizona, UCLA)

He nearly beat Clemson again this year, and looks to be in the driver’s seat for 2nd in his conference division. If Syracuse can knockout a Top-3 Notre Dame, you better believe he’ll start getting some serious attention.

Are we even sure USC is still that great a job? Here's a list of every coach they've had since John Robinson left:

Ted Tollner

Larry Smith

Paul Hackett

Pete Carroll

Lane Kiffin

Ed Orgeron (interim)

Steve Sarkisian

Clay Helton

That's a period of 35 years. Since they beat the Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1980, they have only finished in the top five once with a team that Pete Carroll didn't coach (the team that beat Penn State in Pasadena a couple of seasons ago). If not for Carroll's run, they would basically be Iowa.

I'm just not all that sure they can get some superstar coach in there. Even Carroll in 2001 was seen as a reclamation project, not a home run.

USC is going to pay a nine figure sexual assault settlement, the donors are already pissed about the kiffin/sark era. I'm not sure they'd be willing to stomach a buyout right now ok or pay enough to lure a top coach. Remember LA is wayyy more expensive than Columbus/ State College etc

Urban is gone. Don't believe what he says. He believes it now, but the summer is a long ways off. Think about it. We take some significant loses to end this season. He gets interviewed at USC. The Pac 12 is down (he can dominate). Cali recruiting (he will love that). USC needs a rebuild (he loves doing that). USC is a very prestigious university (who wouldn't like that). He gets a shot a Chip Kelly annually (got to like that). Finally, he gets to win a title at 3 different school (no ones done that/no one probably will). Forgot, they pay him 10 mil a year for 5 years. You know what this spells, Gone!

Better off with Day anyways. He can relate to young athletes and is more of a dynamic play caller. Were back in the playoff in 2020.

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this because I haven't read all the comments as I'm limited on time trying to be sneaky at work on here, but I would not be surprised if USC goes all in for Urban Meyer after this year. Urban was quoted this week saying he plans on coaching next year, but he didn't specify that he plans on coaching "here."